No one likes sharing small talk with strangers. It’s awkward, boring, and it seems like you’re just rattling off the same sentences every time. Blogger Emilie Wapnick shows us that it doesn’t have to be that bad: all you need to do is share a small detail of your life to take the conversation from kill-me-now boring to interesting.

. . .how about responding to the question “how’s your day going?” not with “good, and you?” but with “Good! I got a lot of work done today on my (insert meaningful project).” They will likely then ask you about this meaningful project and you can go from there and talk passionately about the work you’re excited about.

Another option is to bring up a meaningful experience: “My day’s going well. I took my nephew out for a bike ride. He just learned to ride a bike and he’s so proud of himself. It’s adorable.” There’s no way they won’t have an equally heartwarming story to reciprocate with. Or even if they just ask more questions, this will give you a chance to open up about your love for your nephew. We all connect with emotion.

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You probably wouldn’t want to respond with something negative, but this this is a very easy way to get past the mundane, routine small talk and have an actual conversation with someone—even if they’re a complete stranger. Hit the link to check out more tips on breaking down the small talk barrier, and if you have any of your own, be sure to share them in the comments.